Courage
by M1nceM3re84
Summary: Sometimes there are two people who like each other, but can't find the courage to admit it. Sometimes, they just need a little push. Contains spoilers for A Present for Hope.


**I do not own Xenoblade Chronicles X or its characters.**

* * *

It was evening. The moons of Mira were starting to set as the sky darkened under the stars. The search for the Lifehold core was still underway, with progress being made each day.

Hope, New LA's sweetheart, was currently conversing with her friend, Ada, over snacks and drinks in the park.

"So how was work today?" asked Ada.

"Busy, as usual." Hope replied "I was out in Oblivia all morning to help alleviate an argument between a Nopon and his wife. After I got back, I worked on the planning of my new seminar about tolerance of others." Hope recalled "I also conversed with Gwin over love advice."

"Love advice?" Ada questioned.

"Lately, a lot of my clients have been coming to me for help with their love lives. A practice I'm admittedly not too well versed in. Which is why I came to Gwin, as I heard from Elma that he has experience in this type of field."

"Experience, huh? Well if being rejected by Irina repeatedly counts as experience, then I guess." Ada mused. "That's got me wondering Hope, how's your love life going?"

"My love life?" Hope stuttered. "I… can't say much has been happening with that."

"Got a boyfriend yet?"

"No. I've been receiving quite a bit of love letters from some of my clients, though I can't say I can return any of their feelings."

"Must be tough being popular, and single." Ada laughed. "Has there been any specific guy on your mind? One you wouldn't mind getting with?"

"Hm…." Hope thought to herself.

"How about Cross?" Ada suggested.

"Cross?"

"Why not hook up with him?"

"Ada, Cross and I are just friends." Hope stated. "I don't believe there's anything between us."

"Really? You two are awfully close to each other…"

"We just have similar interests, is all. And he helps me as much as I help him." Hope said, as she drank her tea.

Admittedly, she did have an interest in the warrior. His upbeat attitude often kept morale high, while his strength and determination generally assured victory. Yet, he had an understanding heart and would often go out of his way to help those around him. Numerous people would often talk about him, and his closest allies had nothing but praises for the young man.

Hope herself was continuously amazed by his achievements, and was grateful for his frequent assistance. She had known him for quite a while, and would often talk and train with him in what little free time she had. Occasionally, she had thought over being more than friends with him, but often pushed those thoughts to the back of her head after seeing how his other female colleagues interacted with him.

_I wouldn't want to cause unnecessary drama._ Hope thought to herself.

"Well, if you say so." said Ada "Actually it's not like it matters, I think I saw him on a date with someone yesterday."

Hope nearly choked on her drink, "W-what?"

"Oh, you didn't see him yesterday? He was on this date with this really pretty girl. Those two were practically head over heels for each other, you should've seen it. They were doing a whole bunch of things together. Shopping, playing games, eating out, _making_ out. The atmosphere between those two was so heartwarming."

Hope was baffled "I was just talking to him yesterday night. He never even brought his date up, nor did he seem any different from how he usually was."

"Maybe they've been dating for a while now." Ada shrugged

Despite her previous claim to Ada, hearing that Cross was already with someone struck a chord in Hope. She and the young warrior were quite close, and often opened up about their own personal interests and secrets to each other. Yet, Cross never mentioned having a significant other.

_Did our conversations just never cover that topic?_

Typically, seeing Cross converse with another woman was of no concern to Hope. But the closer the two got, the more anxious Hope felt about Cross getting friendly with another woman. And unfortunately for her, quite a number of women in New LA have also taken interest in the young amnesiac.

"Who was she?" Hope asked.

Ada simply sipped her drink.

"Ada, who was he with?" Hope repeated.

"Why are you so interested, Hope?"

"I just want to know since you're making such a big deal out of it."

"Am I? Or are you just a bit peeved that he wouldn't tell you such a thing. Maybe he wanted to keep it a secret, hmm?" Ada teased.

_But, he always tells me what's on his mind… _Hope thought to herself _Why would he start hiding stuff now?_

"I'm just kidding, Hope!" Ada laughed.

"Huh? You mean he's not dating anyone?"

"No, I don't think so. I just made that up to get a rise outta you."

"O-oh. I see." Hope let out a sigh of relief, before giving an annoyed look. "It's not nice to mess with my emotions like that, Ada."

"Oh, so you do like him?"

Hope had fallen into Ada's trap. Giving up, Hope sighed "It's true. I do have feelings for him. Ever since he accompanied me on a mission in Cauldros, I wanted to work with him more to learn how to get stronger. He has the courage, determination, and strength I haven't seen in any other person. Yet overtime, I realized he possesses a kind heart. He's always going out of his way to help others in New LA, humans and xenoforms alike. He's the one who helped bring most of the new Xenoforms shelter in New LA in the first place. He's even helped me in ways I could never help him… He's a very admirable person, and I suppose those traits are why he's captured the hearts of so many in New LA ... mine included."

"How poetic." Ada commented "Seriously, you should tell him how you feel. I think he likes you, too."

"Do you really think so?"

"Oh course. You should see the way he blushes whenever he talks to you. And you should see the way _you_ blush whenever you talk to him." Ada teased once more.

"I...I never realized that before… " Hope blushed. "But… What if I'm not good enough? I'm not as strong as Elma, not experienced as Irina, or as assertive as Murderess. He always seems like he wants a strong woman, one who could pull her own weight on the battlefield."

"Maybe he does find strong women attractive. But he probably likes you for _you_, Hope. Maybe he doesn't care about how you fare on the battlefield compared to most. Perhaps he likes you for who you are now. You two already share a close bond as is. Besides, you tell him things you won't even tell me too!"

"That's because I…" Hope paused. "I trust his judgement. I'm not saying you're not trustworthy, Ada! It's just that I feel more comfortable asking him for input regarding anything personal in my life."

"I see. But that just proves my point." Ada playfully pouted. "So when do you think you're gonna tell him?"

"I-I haven't thought of a specific time yet." Hope admitted.

"Well you better get cracking on it." Ada said as she got up. "Sooner or later, someone's gonna nab him up. And it won't be you, if you take too long. What with that magnetic personality of his and all."

Ada grasped Hope's shoulders.

"Get out there Hope. Be assertive with what you want. I'm absolutely positive he'll return your feelings." Ada affirmed, before letting go. "Whelp, it's getting to be that time again. I gotta get back before my hubby starts to worry. Catch you later Hope. Next time we meet, tell me how your confession goes."

Ada left, leaving Hope alone with her thoughts under the moonlight. Hope would be lying if she said there weren't others in New LA she was interested in as well. But none of them made her feel as strongly as Cross did. Perhaps now _was_ the time for her to finally tell the warrior how she felt about him.

_I suppose Ada is right. _Hope thought. _Besides, keeping these feelings to myself would not be a good thing. Now how should I go about doing it?_

* * *

At the Administrative District, a young man was entering a rather large living space inside the BLADE barracks. In the lobby, a dog and cat were asleep by a corner, a teenage Nopon was eating on the counter, while a young girl was watching a movie while eating popcorn.

This was the living space of Team Elma. The teenage Nopon was Tatsu, the young girl was Lin, and the young man was Cross himself.

Cross dropped his gear off in his locker and hurriedly made his way to the fridge for a drink.

"What's got you so excited?" asked Lin, not looking away from her movie.

"Just got back from a mission briefing over taking down a Ganglion stronghold. Man, the thought of it is already firing me up!" Cross exclaimed as he grabbed a drink from the fridge. "What'cha watching?"

"A romance movie from Earth." Lin replied. "It's kinda cheesy, but heartwarming in its own way."

"Romance, huh?" Cross took a swig of his drink. "Well, I guess you are at _that_ age."

"Oh please, like you know anything about love in the first place." Lin shot back

"Can't argue with that." Cross sat down next to Lin. "I wonder if I had a lover back on Earth…"

"Still can't remember anything?"

Cross shook his head. His amnesia, more often than not, didn't bother him much. But occasionally, it did.

"Well, I'm sure a memory or two will turn up. Or if not, you could try your chances with the women here in New LA. I'm sure finding a date won't be that hard for you." Lin claimed as she ate her popcorn.

Cross shrugged, "I guess I'm more concerned about finding the Lifehold Core right now. That and, well, there's no one right now that I feel strongly for." Cross stated, before thinking over his words "...except for one person, maybe."

"Who is it?" Lin immediately sprang up.

"I-It's no one in particular..." Cross laughed, attempting to play off his remark.

"Oh! Oh! Tell me! Tell me!"

"C'mon, now. It's not that big of a deal, Lin." Cross retorted.

"It is, Cross! Sooner or later, you're going to have to settle down with someone. Especially once we get our bodies back. And honestly, you're not the brightest person when it comes to social cues. Now c'mon, tell me! I promise not to tell anyone."

"...alright." Cross conceded "Actually, get that furball outta here first."

"Meh meh? Why can't Tatsu hear crushy?" Tatsu questioned.

"Because last time I let you in on one of my secrets, you went and told everyone on the face of Mira. I got made fun of for weeks. I'm not making the same mistake twice." Cross affirmed.

_Although it did land me that sweet, fully functional Decade belt from Candid & Credible…_ Cross thought.

"But but-"

"You heard him Tatsu." Lin said as she got up. "No eavesdropping!"

Lin picked Tatsu up, before putting him in one of the rooms and closing the door. She then ran back to the couch.

"Now that he's gone, you can continue."

Cross paused for a minute, before finally answering. "It's Hope."

The amnesiac worked with many women in his BLADE career, but none of them came close to Hope. He admired her dedication to helping others in New LA, and was astonished by her beliefs of not accepting rewards past her living expenses. Her actions and beliefs broadened his worldview, and he often came to her to learn more about her. He was surprised that she would come to him as often for training advice or even just general discussion. As a result, the two became close, and Cross felt a special connection with the Mediator. Now every time he looked or even thought about her, he felt a weird tension in his chest. Problem is, he didn't know if she felt the same.

"Ohhhhh. Nice. At least you have good tastes in women." Lin said. "Anyways, I think you have a good shot with her. Better than anyone else in New LA, at least."

"You think?" Cross sounded worried. "She already gets a lot of help from other male BLADEs. And she talks to a lot of them too. I'm not sure I have much of a chance, compared to them."

"Oh please, Cross. You're practically her best friend. Well, _second_ best friend. Anyways, she comes to you more so than any other male BLADE. Whether it be fighting tips, training, advice, or even just to talk. And apparently, she tells you things she won't even tell me or Elma. I can tell that there's some romantic tension between the two of you."

"What are you two talking about?" Elma, the team leader, asked as she walked in from one of the Barrack rooms.

"About Cross' crush on Hope." Lin answered.

"Lin!" Cross exclaimed.

"What? It's Elma." Lin replied.

"Hope, huh? Well, I'm not surprised. She does talk highly of you whenever she and I chat. If anything else, I think she has a crush on you too."

"Y-you think?" stuttered Cross.

"I certainly do. And I believe you should go ahead and tell her how you feel."

Cross froze up.

"What? Are you nervous about what she'll say?" asked Lin.

"It's just that…" Cross got up and started pacing back and forth."I never told someone I liked them in _that_ way before. And the thought of it just makes me feel awkward."

"So you're telling me you're more comfortable charging into a heavily guarded Ganglion base than telling a girl you like her?"

"Yes." Cross answered bluntly.

Lin stared at Cross in disbelief for a good few seconds. Elma, however, was more amused with the situation than anything else.

_Human love can be such a fickle thing._ Elma thought as she poured herself a shot of beer.

"I'm not sure how I would handle rejection either…" said Cross "Besides, what if she's already with someone? I've seen the amount of love letters and gifts she gets, she's probably already chosen one of them by now."

"As far as I can tell, she isn't dating anyone at the moment." Lin said.

"Indeed." confirmed Elma "She takes those love letters and gifts in stride, anyways. Sometimes, she's a little disturbed by them. Regardless, I still believe you should tell her how you feel. It's not a good idea to bottle up your feelings until it's too late. There is a special connection between the two of you, and I believe that she will return your feelings."

Elma drank her beer shot.

"If the worst does end up happening, I'd be more than happy to lend a few days off work to recuperate. And a shoulder to cry on." Elma smiled.

"Elma's right. No matter what happens, we're here for you Cross. We'll help you outta whatever funk you get in!" Lin reassured.

"Indeed!" Tatsu jumped up and down "As team leader, Tatsu must make sure his subordinates are taken care of!"

…

"When did you get out?!" asked Lin.

"When Elma opened the door." said Tatsu.

"And how much did you hear?" Lin glared at Tatsu.

"Everything…" muttered Tatsu.

Cross merely chuckled. "You're right, guys. I need to tell her how I feel. The sooner I get it over with, the faster I can get rid of this pit in my chest. Besides, it's not like it's gonna be the end of the world if she says no."

"That's right." Elma nodded.

"So how are you gonna go about telling her?" Lin asked. "Simple or extravagant?"

"Simple. I don't wanna make too much of a fuss." Cross grabbed his communicator. "I think I'll call her right now and ask when we could meet up, in private. That way, I'll feel more comfortable talking to her without people watching us. If you guys need me, I'll be in the other room."

"Good luck, Rook." Elma said as Cross made his way there.

"Do you really think she'll say yes, Elma?"

"I wasn't lying when I said she would." Elma took another swig of her beer. "Hope recognizes the good in him, and she very much appreciates all the things he's done for her."

"I see." Lin simply rested her head on the top of the couch. "Do you think I could have some of that beer?"

"Wait until you're older, Lin." Elma laughed, as Lin pouted.

….

Meanwhile, in the other room.

_Okay, Cross. You can do this. _Cross thought to himself, as he looked as his now-open communicator. _You've braved through dangerous caves, you've battled homicidal aliens, you've taken down indigens larger than you are. Telling a girl you like her shouldn't be that hard._

After the mental pep talk, he simply dialed for Hope's communicator.

* * *

_What should I do?_ Hope thought to herself as she held her communicator in her hand. She was back in her apartment, currently sitting on her bed.

_Should I call him? Ask him for a time to meet up? What if I'm bothering him? It is late into the evening. Maybe he's on a mission. Or maybe he's with some friends. I don't want to be intrusive…_

Hope recalled Ada's words.

"Sooner or later, someone's gonna nab him up. And it won't be you, if you take too long…. Get out there Hope. Be assertive with what you want. I'm absolutely positive he'll return your feelings."

_Ada's right. I need to stop second guessing myself and just give him a call-_

Her train of thought was broken over her comm device ringing.

It was Cross.

Stunned at first, Hope answered the call immediately.

Soon, an image of Cross and his current position appeared from the communicator.

"Hey, Hope."

"Hello, Cross."

"How've you been?" Cross asked, a bit jumpy.

"I've been well, thanks. And yourself?"

"Oh, great, fantastic, perfectly fine." Cross blurted out in comical succession, causing Hope to laugh.

"Glad to hear. Is there any particular reason you're calling me?"

"Yeah, there is." Cross replied, with a bit more serious tone to it "When's the next time you're free to meet up and chat?"

"Oh. Well…" Hope briefly looked at her calendar, before turning back. "I'm free tomorrow night at 7 pm. Does that work for you?"

"Oh, uh..." Cross looked at his own calendar, before turning back. "Yeah, it does."

"Perfect." Hope smiled. "Where would you like to meet?"

Cross thought for a bit, before replying "How about inside the church? Is it empty around that time?"

"I believe it will be." Hope affirmed. "What did you want to talk about, anyways?"

"Ah… I'll tell you when we meet up."

"I understand." Hope replied.

"Great. Swell..."

Awkward silence enveloped between the two.

"Anyways, I'll see you then!" Cross waved "'Night!"

"Good night, Cross." Hope replied as Cross ended the call.

_A time to meet up… I wonder what he wants to talk about. Maybe….. he wants to talk because he also has feelings for me? If so… Father, please watch over me so that I won't mess up._

* * *

It was 35 minutes past their scheduled time to meet. Cross had contacted her earlier, saying he was going to be late.

Hope was simply waiting in front of the main church entrance. She had been greeting passersby and clients in the meantime, but still used the extra time for herself to think. She had thought about using this meet up time to finally tell him her feelings, and was mentally going over just what exactly she wanted to say to him.

Eventually, Hope spotted a familiar person running in her direction, coming from the Administrative District.

It was Cross.

"Hey. Sorry….. I'm late. Work….. took longer….. than expected." Cross said in between his gasps for air.

"It's fine. Let's go inside. Please, relax." Hope assured.

The two entered the church. Just as Hope said, it was empty. Only a couple of lights were on.

"Take a few deep breaths, and have a seat." Hope directed Cross to a nearby church chair. She took a seat next to the young warrior.

After a couple more seconds, Cross returned to his regular breathing.

"That's better." Cross said.

Hope smiled, "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well…." Cross started, still a bit nervous.

_Damn it Cross, you've been over this a bunch of times already. Why are you still so nervous?!_

"Cross?"

"Right, um… Hope. I think you're an amazing person." Cross blurted out.

"Oh, why thank you." Hope said .

"And… There are a lot of things I admire about you. Your selflessness, your patience, your willingness to help others, your determination, your beauty-"

That last part surprised both of them.

"Beauty?" Hope asked, blushing a bit.

_I didn't mean to say that. _Thought Cross. _But, no turning back now..._

"Um, well… Yes. I think you're a beautiful person, Hope. Both on the outside, and especially on the inside. The more time I spend with you, the more I appreciate those qualities of yours. And I came here to tell you that…. I like you."

Hope gasped slightly, taken aback by the confession. Cross instinctively looked away, before staring back at Hope.

Silence eclipsed the two as they simply stared at each other.

_Crap… I knew it was gonna go down like this… Great…. Oh well, a few days with ice cream and movies doesn't sound so-_

"Oh Cross…" Hope said, with rosy cheeks "I feel the same way about you."

"Y-you do?" asked Cross, as his face got hotter

Hope nodded, as she held Cross' arms "From the time we shared together, I could tell you were different from everyone else. You helped me find peace with myself, by finding my Father's journal. No matter what, you're always there for me when I need it most. Your strength, your kind heart, your upbeat personality, your generosity… I love all those things about you. Not to mention your sense of humor."

"Well, I try." Cross laughed "I'm glad we got the elephant out of the room."

Hope smiled, "I agree. It feels so nice to finally say it."

The two continued to share their embrace as they looked into each other's eyes, red cheeks be damned.

"You really do have beautiful eyes, Hope…" Cross said, as he leaned in closer to the Mediator.

"My heterochromia doesn't bother you, does it?" Hope asked, also leaning in closer.

"Nah. If anything, it makes you prettier." Cross said.

"Cross…"

"Hope…"

Both closed their eyes as they leaned in even closer, before finally kissing. It felt good, for the both of them.

Suddenly, Cross' comm device started ringing, interrupting the pair.

Pulling away from Hope, Cross stood and answered the call.

"Yeah?" Cross said.

"Where are you right now, Rook?"

It was Commander Vandham.

"Inside the church." Cross replied.

"Huh, doing some soul searching or something?"

"Well, I guess you could say that."

Vandham snorted, "Well listen, we're about to go over more of the planning for that Ganglion stronghold assault, so get your butt over to BLADE Tower ASAP!"

"Roger that, Commander." Cross replied as Vandham hung up.

Cross turned to Hope, "Duty calls."

"Well, you are of the elite. I expect no less from you."

Cross smiled, "Before I leave, let's schedule a date. When are you free?"

"I'm free all day this Saturday."

"Cool. I'll see if I can call off any work that day. Formal or casual?"

"Let's start casual."

"Cool. We can talk about more of the details later."

"I'll be seeing you then." Hope replied as she got up "Before you go…"

Hope gave Cross another hug.

"Thank you… for everything."

Cross fully embraced the hug. The hug lasted for what felt like an eternity, before the duo parted once more.

"Good luck on the future mission." Hope said "And please don't be so reckless."

"I'll try." Cross replied as he headed out the church "At least now I can say, 'I got a girl back home waiting for me.'"

Hope blushed.

"Catch you later."

"Be safe."

Once Cross exited the church, he simply stood in front of the doors.

_Can't believe I confessed to her… And she felt the same way! That pit in my stomach is finally gone now. I feel so… incredible! Like I can do anything! Oh crap, that's right. I gotta make sure I get over to BLADE Tower before Vandham scolds me again._

Inside the church, Hope was also lost in her own thoughts.

_I'm so glad he felt the same way I did. I suppose I'll have to thank Ada, the next time I see her. I should also ask her about dating advice._

* * *

Cross ran all the way over to BLADE Tower and took the elevator to one of the top floors. He eventually made his way to the room with Vandham and other BLADE officials and soldiers.

"Finally here. Sorry for the wait." said Cross.

"Well, aren't we all smiles?" Vandham merely chuckled.

"I'm just in a good mood, Commander." Cross replied with a smile.

_Fin._


End file.
